Sunday, November 08, 2009

10 easy? questions for managing IT-change

Where various parties from business and IT collaborate in deciding on IT-change (implementing changes, based on various new or changing requirements), a complex playingfield arises.Often, in my observation, many companies struggle, in terms of "who will need to decide what", during the preparation and delivery-phases of IT-changes. With a more fundamental understanding of the types of questions that needs to be answered and the ownership of these answers/decisions, more clarity can be created (and confusion avoided...).

I think, in essence, we have to deal with 10 easy questions. Well, easy, in terms of the answers provided, they are easy, but to answer them with confidence, based on the right information, might be quite complex....

Here are the 10 questions, that should drive your change-process (for instance your ITIL change process, or any other changeprocess, for instance in deciding and implementing change-requests for your software applications) and create a clear demand/supply relation:

Before realizing the change: 1. Do we understand and really want this change? (business)2. Are we willing to invest to research solutions? (business)3. Is the change really feasible, what solution-scenarios exist? (IT)4. Do we understand the solution-scenario's and are we willing to commit to one (including the consequences)? (business)5. Can we agree on a realistic start- and enddate? (Business and IT)6. Do we commit to adequately lead the change from the business perspective? (business)7. Are we, as IT, willing and able to commit to deliver the chosen solution? (IT)After realizing the change: 8. Do we accept the delivered solution? (business)9. Are we willing to implement the solution in our operations (and supporting IT-layer)? (business)10. Are we done, happy and ready to move on? (business and IT)

I hope that during your changeprocess these questions are clearly answered by the right stakeholder!

In more detail:

1. Do we understand and really want this change?Key owner: business (and IT to advise)Remarks: we need to adequately understand a change-request, and assess (preliminary) if it is realistic (we want our app to make coffee, but the end of this week)...Subquestions:- Is the submitted change-request clear and understandable? Is the context (Why, Who) clear? Is it (preferably) mainly stated in "what" terms (business requirements), and possibly supported by (preliminary) "how" statements. Is there a "When"?- Is the requested change (in principle) feasible? (IT advise!)- Is the (preliminary) "When" (in principle) realistic? (IT advise!)

2. Are we willing to invest to research solutions? Key owner: businessRemarks: only for very simple requests, we might directly see the solution and required changes in our IT-landscape. More often, IT will need to research the request, and come up with various possible solution-scenario's, that each has it's pro's/cons and consequencesSubquestions:- Are we willing to free and assign capacity @ IT to research the requirement, and wait for some time to let them deliver? Do we accept the cost? Owner: business- Are we, if needed, willing to deprioritize other IT-activities, to let this research be executed? Owner: business, with strong IT advise- Are we able (as business) to further guide IT (and answers business related questions about the requested change)? (business!)- Are we able to deliver adequate research? Do we have the resources with the right experience and knowledge available? (IT!)

3. Is the change really feasible, and what solution-scenarios exist?Key owner: ITRemarks: Based on the changerequest, IT needs to research: can we do this, and how (not in all detail, but in enough detail to have enough trust to answer the question and allow the business to decide the next steps). Research in terms of technical scenario's, their functional and technical impact for the business and IT and the consequences of the solutionscenario, in terms of cost, required resources, time, risks. And an assessment how the scenario fits in the architecture(plans and guidelines).Subquestions:- Are there technical solutions that fulfill (fully or partly) the requirements from the change? If yes, what solutions?- For each solution:- what are functional consequences- what are technical consequences?- what are consequences for future maintenance and supportability?- does the solution fit in the current/to be architecture?- And for each solution: how can we realize this solution, in terms of approach, cost, time, required resources? What risks?

4. Do we understand the solution-scenario's and are we willing to commit to one (including the consequences)?Key owner: businessRemarks: In the end, business needs to decide the scenario and accept consequences (to it's operations and the related change-efforts/investments)

5. Can we agree on a realistic start- and enddate?Owner: Business AND ITSubquestions:- Does this fit in current plans and available resources?- If not, can we agree on re-priotizing/delay other requests?- Are there other solutions (in terms of sourcing)?

6. Do we commit to adequately lead the change from the business perspective?Owner: BusinessRemarks: This is a critical question. Many IT-projects suffer from ambitious business, that fails to provide clear and adequate guidance (enough support and time from critical business people) and speed of decisionmakingSubquestion:- Can we, as business, free the required people as leaders and subject matter experts?- Are we willing and able to setup a good issue-resolution process, and commit to it?- Are we willing to steer the project, take part in steering organization and make tough decisions in a timely fashion?- Are we willing to invest in the relations and social networks between business, IT and project?- Do we have but also feel the trust that we can work together with the people on the IT-side?

7. Are we, as IT, willing and able to commit to deliver the chosen solution?Owner: ITSubquestions:- Do we have the drive, trust, knowledge, experience to deliver?- Do we have the maturity to manage this?- Do we feel the circiumstances are right? All critical succesfactors covered?- Do we have but also feel the trust that we can work together with the people in the business?

8. Do we accept the delivered solution?Owner: businessRemarks: IT has delivered now, and we have taken various actions to gather information on the solution. We checked in various tests and reviews if the solution conforms to the change-requirements(verification) and also checked if the solution will work in our operations(validation).Subquestions:- Does the solution comply to the requirements?- Will the solution fit in our operations?- Do we have sufficient information to really assess and decide on acceptance?

9. Are we willing to implement the solution in our operations (and supporting IT)?Owner: businessRemarks: now it's time to get the IT-change in production.Subquestions:- Are we ready?- Has the change been rolled out correctly?- Acceptable risks for operations?

10. Are we done, happy and ready to move on?Owner: business and ITSubquestions:- Will the business case be reached?- Is the change correctly functioning in operations?- Can we close the change, with full satisfaction?- Did we learn the right lessons? Will we remember them?- Are we still respected partners?